


I Wanna Stay With You My Love

by HeartEyesTurner



Category: Arctic Monkeys
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:47:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23932531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartEyesTurner/pseuds/HeartEyesTurner
Summary: It's Lou's 34th birthday and she's reminiscing about the first time she met Alex; meanwhile he's flying home to surprise her for the night
Relationships: Alex Turner/Lou Nash
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	I Wanna Stay With You My Love

**Author's Note:**

> I’m posting this with only five minutes to spare on Lou’s birthday. I needed to add a few last minute pieces to make it feel extra real. I wrote this for The Dream Couple™️; and for you guys, because it’s time you knew what it was like the day they met. There are a few easter eggs in here, a couple hints at their future together; some you won’t understand just yet. But that makes it so much more fun. The title is from Lou’s favorite song off Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino; because in a perfect world, this album would have her all over it. This one makes my heart so full. It was one of my favorites to write. Anyways… enjoy. And Happy 34th Birthday to my fave OFC xx

Alex settled into his seat on the plane, exhausted from the last few days, but extremely grateful that somehow the stars aligned just perfectly for him to have this day off. Somewhere between Lollapalooza and Osheaga… Alex would be home with his wife to celebrate her birthday.

He’d brought hardly anything with him. Just his leather carry-on with her gift tucked inside and a spare change of clothes. He made a quick exit that day from the hotel, after performing an impromptu extra-long set to the tune of $25,000 and hanging out with friends doing karaoke until the wee hours of the morning. All he wanted to do was go unrecognized at the airport (which was a bit more difficult these days than he’d anticipated; shaving his head not one of his more brilliant ideas), get some sleep in during the flight, and surprise Lou on her thirty-fourth birthday.

She had no idea he was coming. And somehow, he’d managed to keep it a secret since they’d announced their tour dates that summer. Lou was incredible at getting information out of him, but this time… he’d kept his mouth shut. No slip-ups. He couldn’t wait to see her face when she saw him.

//

Lou laughed, her eyes tearing up when she received a series of texts from Helders the morning before her birthday.

**From an old roll of film I never got developed. Thought I’d lost them for good. Happy birthday x**

They were a series of photos from the day she’d met Alex. Exactly seven years ago that afternoon. Her heart was so full. As she zoomed in on each one, the same feelings she felt for Alex that day came rushing at her, full force. The two of them were side-by-side in every single picture. Little did they know back then, that they’d be married to one another not too long after. Chuckling, she remembered Katie telling the story at the reception for their wedding in front of all their friends and family.

_“Yous were at me house the day after yehr birthday, and yeh ‘ad the dreamiest look on yehr face. I knew it were because of Al. And I teased yous about it. Then you looked up at me and said, honest-to-god, “He’s so fucking cute. I’m gonna marry that man. Don’t tell him I said that.”_

_Everyone at the party laughed and cheered. Lou’s eyes went wide and she hid her face._

_Alex leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Is that true, Lou?”_

_She nodded, her eyes full of tears from laughing and being overly emotional at the speeches. Even though it was supposed to be a silly little gathering after they eloped, their friends went all out. “Yes. I was madly in love with you then. Still am, Turner.”_

She laid in bed another hour, completely falling in love with the last photo; the two of them laughing with each other. Somehow, Matt had managed to capture that particular moment. Candids were his specialty. And she was so grateful that he’d found these. She opened Instagram, suddenly inspired to share this moment with the world; let them know the exact minute she fell in love with one Alex Turner. Recounting the moment in a brief caption, she tagged both Katie and Matt, hoping one of them showed it to Alex while they were away.

//

Alex was drifting in and out of dreams, flashes of Lou’s face so vivid. His mind kept taking him back to the day they met, to the first time he ever saw her. The freckles and the way she walked. Her smile. He dreamt about her voice and the way she looked when the sun lit up her face just right. His head was groggy and a little fuzzy as other images passed through; moments from their honeymoon, on black sand beaches and beneath waterfalls. Skinny dipping in their pool. In the ocean. Giving her kisses whenever he felt like it. Which was always.

He was reminded of the tears in her honey-colored eyes when they exchanged vows last summer in Spain; and the way she felt in his arms when they slow-danced for the first time as husband and wife. It was all there; flooding his thoughts on his six hour flight home to the love of his life.

//

It wasn’t the first time Alex had been away for her birthday, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last. She was okay with it. It was his job; part of the life, and now part of hers, too. But it didn’t stop her from doing something special for herself. She spent the entire day alone at the spa. It was something she rarely did, but she felt like doing something special. Most people didn’t think birthdays meant anything unless they were a milestone. But Lou believed _all_ birthdays were milestones. It was another trip around the sun. Another whole year on this planet. And it deserved a celebration.

“What’s the most ridiculous package you have? Because I want that one. The whole nine yards. Wax. Blow-out. Massage. Sauna. Give me that one, baby.”

She giggled to herself, thinking about how Alex would’ve said something very similar, but in his thick accent. She swallowed the lump in her throat, reminding herself that even if he wasn’t here with her physically today, he was constantly on her mind. Before she turned off her phone for the day, she saw that Katie had replied to her post with a million pink hearts and “I knew yous would fall for him” in the comments.

Sometimes, Alex would lament about how he wished they’d met sooner… and how if she had just listened to Katie, they could’ve been in love for another whole year. Eight instead of seven. But Lou always reminded him that they met exactly when they were supposed to that day in August.

//

August 3rd, 2011

“Yous should come to Al’s parteh tomorrow… open invitation, anybody’s invited.”

Lou smiled at Katie, her little pint-sized business partner. They’d worked together for nearly a year now, and in that time, she’d met her husband, but circumstances had never allowed for her to meet the rest of their friends. In particular, Alex.

“If I didn’t know any better… I would say you’re trying to set me up.”

“Me?!” Katie cried, her laugh infectious. “No… wouldn’t do that….” Her long blonde curls cascaded down her back, her eyes twinkling. “But… he is _single…_ so…”

Lou rolled her eyes and growled, “I _knew_ it! You’ve been trying to set me up for a year, and I’ve picked up on all your not-so-subtle hints, and when it’s time for me to meet one Alex Turner… it’ll happen.”

Katie crossed her arms over her chest, “Yeh know when’s a good time teh meet ‘im? _Tomorrow._ ”

Lou scrunched her nose up, fiddling with the sketchbook in her hands. She didn’t like the pressure of an event like this, especially because… well, she was a fan. And also, Katie was her partner, and it was just… _weird._

“Come on then, yeh’ve got nothin’ goin’ on tomorrow. It’ll be fun. If not to meet ‘im, then to ‘ang out wiv me.” She nudged her hip into Louella’s and Lou tucked her bottom lip between her teeth, realizing she really didn’t have an excuse.

“Alright… maybe I’ll crash it.”

“Don’t crash it. Jameh and I will meet yeh there, and then it won’t feel so weird.”

//

“I’m running late.”

“You better not be backin’ out!” Katie cried into the phone, stepping away from the conversation she was having, holding a hand to her ear.

“Promise I’m not. Just…” Lou looked herself over in the mirror once more, finally satisfied with her outfit. “… couldn’t figure out what to wear.”

Katie scoffed, “Yeh look gorgeous always, please get yehr cute bum over ‘ere! I’m sendin’ yous the address again. Just come on through the ‘ouse when yeh get ‘ere.”

//

She didn’t live far. But she also certainly didn’t live in an area as nice as Alex’s. His little mid-century modern home was tucked away into the Hollywood Hills, cars lining the street on either side of his driveway. Her stomach rumbled when she parked, the smell of whatever was cooking on the grill filling her nostrils.

“Really hope the people at this party actually eat… because I’m fucking ravenous.”

Since moving across the country to sunny California, Lou had noticed that people did not eat food out here the way they did anywhere else. Lou loved to cook and more importantly eat. Slipping between the cars that also filled his driveway, she walked slowly up the steps, taking in the palm trees and the lush greenery out front. The door was unlocked like Katie had said, and she closed it slowly behind her, her brown eyes wide as they looked around. She had felt a bit like a creep sneaking in the way she was, but there was something about his house that made her feel like, well, home. The rooms took a cue from the exterior design of the house, the mid-century modern style flowing through the house as if she’d just stepped through a time portal. The TV kept it all firmly grounded in the present day, but even the fabrics on his furniture felt like a time warp. It was so… _cool._

The music in the backyard was what lured her through the rest of his house like a pied piper. She was in a daze as she walked through, admiring every single thing he owned. He had dozens of records, and floor-to-ceiling windows that gave her a small peek into his yard and the people that populated it. Just as she got through his kitchen to the door, Katie popped in.

“Yeh’re ‘ere!! Finally!!” Katie seemed a little buzzed as she threw her arms around Lou, squeezing her tight. “Come on, then… everyone’s out back…” She looked back at her, grinning. “Yeh look stunning, love; just like I said yeh would.”

Lou laughed, thanking her as she pulled open the door and trotted down the concrete steps. She was still smiling when she looked up, spotting Alex for the first time, telling a story to Matt by the grill. She paused for a moment, momentarily taken aback by how incredibly handsome he was. He looked better in person that she thought he would. He was slender, but toned, and his skin had a sunny glow to it. His hair must’ve just been freshly cut, because she’d never seen it look this way before. The sides were short and the top was long, but styled effortlessly. Last she knew, he had a mop on his head. She _liked_ this new look. A lot.

She hummed, her heart racing the more she drank him in, the old muscle tank he was wearing showed off his arms, and the blue jeans he had on were worn to perfection. The only thing she couldn’t see were his eyes, which were still hidden beneath a pair of dark aviators. He was turned away from her, and her gaze followed the sharp cut of his jaw, and she smiled softly when she heard his laugh, his chin wrinkling, the chiseled jaw disappearing for a moment. He was simultaneously sexy _and_ cute. The only way to describe her feelings at that exact moment, was that she was the emotional embodiment of a walking key-smash.

“Al!” Katie exclaimed, seemingly even shorter than she usually was next to Lou while she still stood on the steps. “There’s someone I want yous teh meet!”

Alex was half-listening to Matt and to Katie as he turned his head, smiling down at her. “What’s that, love?”

But Katie didn’t have to respond, because Lou had already caught Alex’s eye, and he was staring her down as she descended the last step, face-to-face with him. It was a matter of seconds in reality, but Alex was absolutely positive that time slowed down the moment he clapped eyes on her. There were moments in his life he knew he’d never forget, like the first time he heard their song on the radio, or the feel of the adrenaline that coursed through his veins when he played music he’d written to a crowd of thousands; but neither of those moments would ever compare to the feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when he saw Louella for the first time in his life.

Up until that point, he could confidently say, that he most certainly did not believe in love at first sight. But Lou. Well, she smashed any preconceived notion he’d previously had on the subject. She hadn’t even said a word, but his heart swelled at the smile on her gorgeous face. In that moment, he’d never felt more at ease.

Sliding his glasses from his face slowly, he extended his hand out, and introduced himself to her.

“I’m Alex… Turner.”

Lou smiled even wider, too enthralled by the look in his wide doe eyes, to laugh at him for using his first and last time. She slipped her hand into his, exhaling gently as he squeezed her just slightly.

“I’m Louella… Nash… if we’re um, using our full names.” She teased, her honey eyes sparkling.

Alex didn’t even pick up on the joke, he was too lost in the color of her eyes, and the thick lashes that dusted her freckled cheeks when she blinked. His hand lingered a moment before they pulled away.

Katie giggled and Matt laughed at Lou’s joke, introducing himself with his full name, too. “Don’t fink Al’s quite caught on yet.”

At the sound of his name, Alex broke his trance, tearing his eyes away from Lou for just a moment. “Wot…?”

“Yehr burgers are burnin’, mate. Stay focused.”

“Oh…” Alex breathed, cutting his eyes over at Lou again, having absolutely zero desire to do anything else but talk to the gorgeous woman two feet from him. “I gotta erm…” Alex thumbed in the direction of the grill, “… erm, take care ‘o this, but… yeh can ‘elp yehrself to whatever yeh’d like, I’ve got erm…”

But Alex couldn’t get the words out the way he wanted, so Matt intervened and let him off the hook. “I got it from ‘ere Al, take care of yehr guest.”

Alex went to ruffle his hair, momentarily forgetting that he could no longer do that, having impulsively chosen a highly-stylized new hairstyle, one that required a massive amount of pomade. He didn’t know what to do with his hands, so he tucked his glasses into the neck of his shirt and grabbed his bottle of beer from the grill.

“C’mon, love, I’ll show yeh were everythin’ is…”

Lou bit her lip, her cheeks feeling slightly flushed as she cut her eyes at Katie quickly, and looked up at Alex as he jogged back up the steps, leading her back into the house.

“Well,” Matt smiled, his dimples prominent as he looked over at Katie through his dark shades, after Alex and Lou had disappeared, “I ‘ave never seen ‘im like tha before.”

She shook her head excitedly, “I _know_. I had a feeling…”

//

“I love your home,” Lou commented, smiling shyly at him when he held the door open for her. “Thank you for inviting me.”

Katie had told Alex about a girl called Louella at least a dozen and a half times or more, and he kept waiting for this mystery woman to show up somewhere, but she never did. Looking at her now, in the afternoon light that came through his kitchen window, he instantly regretted not demanding to meet her before today. They’d already wasted to much time. But how could he have known?

“I fink you were erm… supposed to come a few times before… if I’m not mistaken…” Alex’s eyebrow arching as they stared each other down in the kitchen. It was warm outside, but it wasn’t the weather that was making them both sweat. It was the tension. Palpable. Thick.

Lou chuckled nervously, instantly regretting all those times she’d neglected to show her face. If she’d just come along with Katie a year ago, she could’ve been making out with his handsome face right now. Kissing those lips… the little freckles just below the bottom one…

Alex didn’t mean to make her nervous, so he backtracked. “Thas alreyt though, yeh’re ‘ere now… and yeh look thirsty.”

Lou’s eyes widened and she straightened up, snapping out of it. “What? I do?”

He gave her a funny look, “I just meant…”

“An actual drink.” Lou finished for him, dying inside that she wasn’t playing it cool. If she fucked this up, she’d never forgive herself.

The fridge was stocked, beer on every shelf, cans of coke all lined up perfectly. She bit her lip sensing that Alex was a bit of a neat-freak. He got more adorable with each piece of information she learned. “There’s plenteh in’ ere… but if yeh like summat stronger… if that’s like yehr fing… got a full bar, as well…”

 _‘Fing’_. He was. So. Cute. She wanted to scream she was so attracted to him.

“Hmm… beer’s good for now… but if you have tequila… I could always go for that later.”

“Do I have tequila?” Alex snorts, “C’mere…”

She grinned, following him into his living room to the liquor cabinet. “Tequila is sort of like, me drink. All of us ‘ave a bit before weh go on. Gets like the indigestion goin’ but…”

Lou threw her head back, laughing. “It does burn on the way back up, doesn’t it? Especially as you get older.”

Alex thought his heart was going to crack his ribs it was thudding so hard. He was in love with her laugh as much as her smile, and he knew in that moment, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life making her laugh exactly like that.

With a chuckle he added, “Fink it’s the limes, actually.”

//

Alex didn’t leave her side the entire evening. He introduced her to all of his friends like they’d known each other for years. And once Lou was comfortable, she had no problem socializing. She had stories for days, and she was funny. Brilliant. Interesting. He had a serious crush on her mind. The way she talked was effortless. Cool.

But her smile.

Her smile was still his absolute favorite thing.

“What’s that up there?” Lou pointed up the side of the hill at the back of his house to where a little structure sat amidst the brush.

They’d been talking for the last two hours, and not once, even as people came and went from their conversation, did he ever take his eyes off her. The sun had been strong that day, and her shoulders were a little burned at the edges of her tank top. She had jeans on like him, and they made her legs look like they went on for miles, even though she was just about his height. She wore everything like it took absolutely no consideration at all; the necklace and the earrings, her belt, even the glasses that hung at the neck of her loose white top, tugging the front down just slightly. He could tell she had cute little feet in her sandals, and her nails were painted a red-orange that reminded him of sunsets over tropical beaches. There was black ink on her fingers, and paint on her wrists and forearms that she explained was only there because she didn’t have time to get off. She was an artist. He loved it.

Alex looked up to where she was pointing, “Thas joost like… a lil’ ‘ang out spot I s’pose. Don’t realeh know what yeh’d call it. But it’s got a pretty incredible view; especialleh at this time of day.”

Lou’s eyes sparkled as she looked back at him, her freckles prominent now in the heat, smattered across her sweet pink cheeks.

“Yeh wanna go check it out, don’t yeh?”

She grinned, nodding her head enthusiastically. “Can we? No one will care if we sneak away for a bit, right?”

 _Let’s just run away together._ Alex thought to himself, wanting nothing more then to do exactly that right now. “Ah, who cares about them anyways?”

They smiled at one other, each time lingering a little longer than the last.

The sun was setting when they reached the very top, Alex holding his hand out to grab her when she wobbled on the last step. Lou glanced at him through the shadow of her eyelashes when she felt his hand on the small of her back. She was a little off-balance from the climb, but not enough that she would’ve fallen. But he went to catch her anyways.

The sun hit his big doe eyes just right, his perfect nose slightly red and a little burned from being in the sun all day. Lou melted. Her fingers twitched, desperately wanting to stroke her finger down the length of it, especially when he furrowed his brow. He had too handsome of a face to ever look concerned.

“Thanks…” She hummed, noticing how he didn’t remove his hand right away. She didn’t mind. “So… do you come up here often?” She raised her eyebrows, well aware that she was making it sound like a cheesy pick-up line. Alex appreciated it.

“As a matter-of-fact, I do…” He nodded, showing her around the little area. There was a fire pit and a little sunken seating area, but mostly she was in love with the gorgeous view. “It’s kinda the reason why I wanted to move ‘ere.”

“Wow…” She breathed, never having had the opportunity to see the city quite like this before. “Don’t you just love the way the sky looks like melted sherbet when the sun sets here? It’s not like this back home. Not at all.”

“Me neither. I love that the sun’s always out. That I can take me bike out whenever. Go for a swim whenever.”

“You probably did a lot of swimming in England… on account of all that rain.” She glanced at him, the corner of her mouth turned up. She held his gaze for a moment and then looked back out at the dreamy purple and orange swirls on the horizon. “Fuck. Look at those colors…”

Alex barely glanced, they were pretty and all, but not like her.

“Do you get inspired up here? Have you written any brilliant songs standing right here in this spot?”

Coincidentally, he had been thinking of a few just then, that he hoped he could remember later. It wasn’t the first time that afternoon where he felt like she could read his mind. “Not like, reyt in this spot, no… but… over there, yeah.”

“So _that’s_ the magic spot…” She hummed, sauntering over.

Alex couldn’t take his eyes off the fullness of her hips and the way they swayed. She was like some sort of snake-charmer. He wanted to go whoever she went. Be with her always.

“I dunno if it’s magic, love…” Alex joined her, sitting beside her, his friends below like little moveable figures in various scenarios around his backyard. He’d always preferred throwing parties to attending them, happiest when the people he loved the most were around him. “They sort of joost… ‘appen.”

“You don’t give yourself enough credit, you self-deprecating bastard.” She teased him, nudging her knee against his. “Is that a traditionally British trait… or?”

“Fink it is, yeah.” His eyes followed her hands as they gathered up her long, dark hair and pulled it over to one side, little beads of sweat slipping down her collarbone and into the space between her breasts. He didn’t mean to look, but he had, and he couldn’t stop the thoughts in his head.

“I don’t think you’ve ever written a bad song.” Lou told him honestly, in the moment confessing that she was indeed, a fan.

“You know all our songs?” He raised his eyebrows, sort of shocked. They didn’t often get that around here in the states just yet.

“I do. For a very long time actually.” Lou was revealing so much about herself, which wasn’t something she was used to doing right away like this. But there was something about Alex that made her want to tell him all her secrets. “We should play a game of questions.”

“Questions?”

“Take turns asking one another something… but without any follow-ups until the other person asks.”

Alex slid his sweaty hands down the thighs of his jeans, smirking. “If it were anyone else, I would say no… but… for some reason, I can’t wiv you, love. Yeh’re gonna know all me secrets by the end of the day.”

Lou’s heart jumped into her throat. Hadn’t she just been thinking the same thing? “In that case, I’ll give you the upper hand… you go first.”

“Alreyt… when… is yehr birfday?”

“Tomorrow.”

“What? Really?” Alex’s eyes twinkled in that afternoon light and Lou was melting all over again.n

“Can’t ask that. My turn.” Her nose wrinkled up as she thought of what to ask him that wasn’t obvious. “If you could be anyone for a day… who would you be?”

“Hmm… wow, I’m… terrible at stuff like this…” He drawled, his voice so deep Lou could feel it in her chest. “Erm… I dunno… Batman.”

“Batman.” Lou bit her lip and giggled, “You’d wanna be the caped crusader for a day? I dig that.” She fanned herself a little, the sun beating right on them.

“Batman’s got yeh hot and bothered?” Alex teased her, his arms crossed over his chest, a mischievous smirk on his lips.

“That’s a question.” She pointed at him and he scoffed.

“Fookin’ ell. Told yeh I were bad at fings like this.”

“You’re doing great.” She assured him, “And yeah, sometimes he does. Bruce is a little fucked up… but he gets to drive a pretty cool car.”

Alex hummed, eyebrow arching, “Batmobile.”

“Oh, is _that_ what it’s called?”

“Shut it.” He huffed and that sat up pointing at her, “ _That’s_ a question!”

Her cheeks hurt she was smiling so hard, “Well, fuck.”

“Yes…” He hissed, bouncing in his seat, too full of energy. “What’s one place yeh’ve never gone that yeh’d love to go to?”

“I can’t choose _one_ … hmmm… Oh! Hawaii. I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii.”

He smiled, picturing her there on the beach with her tan skin, a lei around her neck and her long, dark hair blowing in the tropical breeze. It would suit her. “Never been meself.”

“We should go one day, then.” She blurted, eyes wide, unable to ignore the way he was staring at her. They had only met hours before but, she wanted to do everything with him.

“Weh should.” He nodded, letting her know he didn’t mind the comment. “I’ll take yeh up on the offer one day, Lou.”

The way he said her name… she wanted to kiss him. More than anything.

Swallowing hard, she asked her next question, “If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your li—”

“ _Born to Be With You_. Dion.”

“Oh…” Lou giggled at the speed in which he answered. “I don’t think I’ve ever listened to it before…”

“I’ll play it for yeh sometime.”

“Maybe on the way to Hawaii.”

Alex laughed, “Alreyt. But I’d mooch prefer playin’ it for yeh on vinyl. On me stereo.”

“How pretentious.”

“That’s joost the way it’s meant teh beh ‘eard. I promise yeh.”

The feeling in the pit of her stomach wouldn’t go away. It was warm and it made her so full of love for a man she’d just met. It was overwhelming how much she wanted him. “I trust you.”

Later when they’d climbed back down the hill, reluctantly heading back into the party, Alex asked her if tomorrow really was her birthday.

She nodded, “It is. I’ll be twenty-eight in a few hours.”

//

“So… you were born on eight-four-eight-four?” Alex mused, standing beside the grill, the second feeding well underway. He’d worked out the numbers when he’d gone inside to grab them each another beer.

Lou nodded enthusiastically, having always been obsessed with the pattern of numbers. “Yes! I think it’s kinda cool.”

“It is.” Alex agreed, his heart pounding in his chest. He wondered if she could tell how infatuated he was with her. He studied her adoringly, everything she did, even the way she tucked her hair behind her ear, or the way her lips wrapped around her beer bottle… he loved it. He was even more attracted to her after their conversation at the top of the hill. He found himself wanting to know more; six silly questions weren’t enough. He wanted her to tell him anything and everything. “Yeh’re older than meh, then.”

The twinkling lights on the darkened patio caught Lou’s eyes just right, and she noticed Alex physically swallow hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down in his throat. She smiled, nervous at the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach even after talking with him all afternoon.

“Is that a bad thing?” She asked him, her eyebrow arching, her lips at the bottle, not taking a sip, just resting against the cool glass.

His eyebrow mirrored hers and he shook his head, “Not at t’all… joost… no, I. I like it actually.”

“You dig older women.”

“Apparently…”

//

At ten-sixteen that night, Alex led the entire party in a very loud, and very boisterous rendition of _Happy Birthday._

Her body hummed with excitement when he stood behind her, and placed his hands on her shoulders as it began. She’d met everyone, but she didn’t know where to look, so she covered her face in embarrassment, feeling Alex squeeze his fingertips into her a little more, singing a bit louder. Everyone clapped and cheered and Lou gave in and threw her hands up, thanking them all as she casually leaned back and crossed her legs. She could hear Alex chuckling behind her, and she tilted her head backwards to look up at him.

“Happy birfday, Lou.”

//

Lou didn’t want to leave that night, for the first time in her life, she was at a party that wasn’t her own, in which she didn’t want to run screaming from. But she also didn’t want to be that person who stayed uncomfortably long, she wanted to make a proper exit, continue to play it cool.

“Wot? Yeh’re leavin’?” Alex’s brow furrowed, his eyes wide and a little red and glossy from the beer and the lack of sleep. He’d explained that they were still in the middle of a tour (which Lou already new per Katie) and he hadn’t been sleeping properly because of the weird schedule.

She got that funny urge to stroke his nose again, and she clenched her fist so she didn’t accidentally do it. “Yeah… I… don’t wanna leave… but…”

“Yeh could stay… parteh’s still gonna beh goin’ for another couple of hours probably.” He didn’t mean to sound desperate, but he didn’t want her to go.

“I need my beauty sleep.” She grinned, sliding her hands into her back pockets.

“No… yeh absolutely do not.” He grinned lazily, his eyelids a little droopy. “Joost stay a little while…”

Lou giggled at him, really, really wishing she could.

“If yeh go… who am I gonna talk teh for the rest of the night?” He gestured vaguely at his guests who all seemed to still be enjoying themselves. The High Green bar was littered with red solo cups, and there were a few night swimmers floating around. Clouds of smoke rose above nearly all their heads; opaque in the sticky summer evening.

“You could just sneak off to bed and get some rest, you sleepy boy.”

Alex chuckled, a funny little sound that was not unlike a goat. Lou’s knees felt like jelly; he was the sweetest person she’d ever met. All she wanted to do was kiss him. She had to leave, or else she would, and she wanted to save that moment for another time. When they were alone. If the next time happened that is.

“Thas not a bad idea…” He nodded his head towards the house, “C’mon love, I’ll walk yeh out.”

When they walked back through the kitchen, Lou stopped to search for where she’d left her bag, going on about how much she loved his home again. “I love the style. So much…” She stood at the counter, examining everything. “I always dreamt about moving to California and waking up to a view like this one, sunlight streaming in the window… I bet mornings are beautiful in your backyard.”

Alex had gone into the fridge to grab her a bottle of water for the road, even though she wasn’t even slightly buzzed anymore. He was taken aback by the look on her face when he turned back around, his heart suddenly stopping. He suddenly felt overwhelmed by a strange sense of deja vu, and by the realization that he was madly in love with Lou.

Her smile stretched across her face, her honey eyes still sparkling even at this late hour. She looked like a sun kissed vision of perfection; her long, dark hair now pleated down her shoulder, loose little strands framing her face. If he could take a picture…

“Erm… mornings are realeh beautiful ‘ere… but the sun rises reyt outside me bedroom window…”

Lou glanced at the open staircase to the top floor, wondering if he was planning on showing her that view sometime, too. “I hope you’ve got black-out blinds in that case. I like to sleep late.”

“Me too.” Alex smiled, unsure if she was implying that she wanted to stay the night sometime, or if she was back to telling him all her secrets. “It’s only realeh terrible when I’ve ‘ad a rough night.”

Lou’s full pink lips twisted into a smirk, “You gonna walk me out?”

They stared each other down, the tension thicker than it had been before. Heavier as the day went on. Alex nodded as he gestured toward the front door.

“Weh should erm… yeh should come to another parteh soon…”

“Do I get a personal invitation now? Or do I have to get a secondhand one from our mutual friends?” She raised her eyebrow, teasing him and Alex fished his phone from his back pocket, handing it to her.

Lou’s fingers touched his as she took it from him. “What is this? Are you showing me an ancient piece of early primitive technology?” His phone was old. She didn’t even know what it was if she were being honest.

He stopped as they reached the front door, “Fook off… don’t make fun of me phone. Joost put yehr number in it.”

“Yes sir…” She grumbled, glancing up at him with a look in her eyes, “Don’t even know how to work this thing…”

He went to grab it back from her, but she turned away, finally discovering the contacts and adding herself. “I don’t know, I think if you sent it by owl it would get to me faster.”

The face Alex gave her was too much and she burst into laughter before skipping out onto the front landing. Before Alex tucked his phone away again, he looked at her name on the little screen, a little palm tree next to it. He grinned. God, he was so in love with her he couldn’t stand it.

The front yard was quiet, the din from the music in the backyard the only other sound between the two of them still talking, fifteen minutes later. There was a little breeze, and all the greenery around them ruffled slightly, loose strands of hair blowing into Lou’s eyes. Alex’s fingers itched. He wanted to tuck it behind her ear, but she beat him to it.

“I seriously can’t get over the view you have here.” Lou murmured, very well aware that she was lingering even though she told him she had to go at least an hour ago. But being with him alone in the front was so nice, and she really did feel like she could talk to him forever. “Even at night the sky is gorgeous.”

“When the smog doesn’t fook it up… yeh can see all the stars, look…” Alex was standing so close beside her, that when he lifted his arm to point upwards, it was like she was tucked right in against his chest. Lou glanced up at him briefly, her heart pounding at how handsome he was, how that jaw of his looked so soft and kissable. “And tonight is the last night yeh can see Saturn in the sky before Jupiter shows up. See…?”

Lou reluctantly pulled her eyes away from the prefect structure of his face and looked up. He was right. The sky was deep blue and the stars were out putting on one hell of a show. “Oh…” She breathed, “Is that it right there?”

“That lil’ faded glowing spot right beside the moon… yeah. Cool, reyt?”

 _I love you._ Lou whispered to herself, overwhelmed by all the emotions she felt for him. She didn’t know it then, there was no way she could, but stargazing like this was going to become a major part of their history.

“I see it, yeah. Look at the moon… like a little crescent. A croissant.”

“A croissant moon.” Alex chuckled, and Lou shivered at the deep sound of his voice. He glanced at her again, wondering what she’d do if he kissed her right then. He wanted to. So bad. Her lips looked so inviting, and he licked his own on instinct.

They stood there a little longer, talking more about stars; Lou asking him if he’d ever been to the Observatory and then subtly making plans to go together. They’d known each other for half a day and they already had adventures mapped out for their future.

“Alright… I… should seriously go now. Even though I could probably stay here and talk to you forever,” Lou confessed, not the slightest bit shy anymore. She loved him. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

“Lou… please don’t go…” Alex laughed half-heartedly, but he was one hundred percent serious. “When am I gonna see yeh next?”

She skipped down a few steps, “Depends… when’s your next party?”

Alex shook his head, “Not for awhile. Weh leave again on tour at the end of next week… I wanna see yeh again before that.”

Lou’s eyebrows raised, her heart sinking slightly at the thought of him being so far away. “Tour. That’s right…”

“Next week.”

“Hmm…” She climbed back up another step or two, “… well… you have my number… you can call me anytime.”

Alex nodded, “I do. Alreyt. Next week.”

“I’ll be free. Trust me.” They smiled at each other, their hearts pounding so loud it was deafening in their ears. “I’ll see ya around, Turner.”

Alex swallowed thickly, loving the way his name sounded when it left her lips. “Good night, Lou…” He drawled softly, doing his best to remember this exact moment, watching her as she descended the rest of the stairs to her car.

He pulled his phone back out again as she climbed in, neurotically double-checking to make sure her name was indeed still in there. It was after midnight.

“‘ey!” He called to her, and she rolled down her window all the way, looking at him expectantly. “It’s 12:01. Yeh’ve been twenty-eight for a whole minute.”

He got to see her smile one last time that night before she drove off; completely unaware that he’d make her smile like that nearly every single day for the rest of her life.

//

August 3rd, 2018

“I can’t believe you’re here right now,” Lou hummed, gazing dreamily at Alex beside her at the restaurant that night. He’d taken her to her favorite place, where they had reservations and a secluded little booth all to themselves. “You’re the best husband a woman could ask for.”

Alex’s eyebrow arched, his hand on the inside of her thigh, giving her a little squeeze. “Anythin’ for you, babeh.” He drawled, his wide brown eyes sparkling in the candlelight. “Joost can’t believe I actualleh pulled this off without yeh findin’ out.”

She shook her head in disbelief, “I can’t either to be honest. Am I slipping up in my old age?”

“Old age? Yeh look exactly the way yeh did the first day I met yeh…” Alex leaned in, brushing his nose against hers, “… joost a whole lot sexier. And with a mooch betteh last name.”

Lou laughed, smiling against his mouth as he kissed her, tasting the tequila and lime on his lips. He slid his hand higher up her thigh, “Is it time to go home yet? I wanna show off my birthday present…”

“Mmm…” Alex hummed, kissing her deeper as he pictured what it must look like beneath that incredible dress. Lou held his face and pecked at his lips as he reached in his pocket for his wallet. “Can’t fookin’ wait.”

“Baby, it looks so fucking good you’re gonna die,” She purred, kissing at his scruffy jaw. He moaned, turning his head to smack a kiss on her cheek.

“C’mon, love… let’s go ‘ome…” Lou grabbed her bag as Alex hastily tossed a wad of cash on the table before taking her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

“Turner. That was all hundreds.” Lou gave him a look, forgetting that sometimes his need to get her home and naked clouded his better judgement.

“Well, she got a hell of a tip then,” Alex flashed her one of his lazy grins and she squeezed his hand.

“You’re lucky I love you too much right now to yell at you about it.”

He scoffed, holding the door open for her, stepping out into the balmy evening air. “Says the woman who spent the entire day at the spa. Gettin’ the works.”

“What? Jesus can go to the day spa, but I can’t?” She teased him, walking backwards their hands still firmly locked together. “Besides, do you even know what ‘the works’ includes?”

“I don’t actualleh.” He drawled, the smile on his face burning his cheeks.

He loved her so fucking much.

Lou gave him her sultriest look, as he pulled her back into him, her hand pressing against his stomach and sliding beneath his jacket and around his waist. “Tell meh, babeh.”

Biting her lip, she looked him over, cars flying past them on the busy street. He was so handsome in his navy suit, so incredibly sexy. And despite the fact that she wasn’t quite used to his hair yet, there was something about it that made her anxious. Excited. Like he would do her all kinds of no good.

“I got waxed, Turner.” She confessed, both of them glancing down at her body in the skintight dress.

Somehow he managed to choke out, “ _Everywhere_?”

She nodded her head slowly, “Everywhere, baby.” He looked her over again and Lou tossed her head back, laughing. “You don’t have x-ray vision, Turner. Gotta take me home to see. It goes really well with your gift.”

His eyes grew wide, eyebrows arched, mouth slightly open. “But. Yeh’ve never done that before, Lou.”

“I _know_.” She hummed, wishing they weren’t on a busy street right now so she could feel him up through his trousers. “You were gonna get a picture later tonight in your hotel room… but here you are.”

“Here I am…” He breathed as she pressed herself against him,

“Feels _good_ , too. I think you’re _really_ gonna like it.”

Alex smirked, leaning in to kiss her pretty pink lips when—

//

Lou burst into laughter, nearly choking on her chocolate cake. She fell back against his chest, covering her face and wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Fook off!” Alex shouted at her, his own mouth full.

That made her laugh even harder, until they both had a to take a break and catch their breath. “Oh my god, I’m sorry… but the look on your face… when they asked for a picture…” And suddenly Lou was in hysterics again.

“Of-fookin’-course,” Alex shook his head, clearing his throat before shoving another huge forkful into his mouth. “They always show up at the reyt moment, don’t they?”

Lou nodded, her dark hair tickling his bare chest. It was hours after the incident, and they were eating her little birthday cake that Alex had brought home, snuggled up in a lawn chair in the backyard. The sky was absolutely clear, every single star the universe had to offer twinkling brightly. It was after midnight now, and Lou was officially thirty-four.

“You were so sweet though, baby,” Lou smiled, recalling the moment from earlier. Two very lovely girls had asked for a picture with him, and then one with her as well. “You always are.”

“Joost wish yeh hadn’t painted that mental image for meh a moment before.”

“Why? Were you hard in that picture?” Lou teased him and Alex jabbed his fork into her side. “Hey! Official birthday girl!”

“Yeh cheeky lil’—”

“Goose!” She giggled, finishing his new catchphrase. “Where did that even come from anyways you weirdo?”

Alex chuckled his little goat laugh, “Who knows why I say the fings I say up there.”

“I sure as hell don’t.”

He set his plate aside and shouted “Hey!” As he wrapped his arms around her. “You done? I wanna love yeh some more.”

“One last bite…” Lou licked her fork and tossed it with his. She wrapped her arms over his, sinking back into him. He squeezed his legs on either side of hers and exhaled, pressing his lips to her hair. “Do you remember what was in the sky the night we met?”

“Mmm.” He hummed, deeply. “A side-boob.”

Lou cracked up as he laughed behind her, “ _Before_ you called it that.”

“A. Croissant. Moon. I remember.”

She smiled, pleased that he hadn’t really forgotten. “And what else?”

“Saturn.” He retorted with the speediest response time. “If this is a game of questions about that day, yeh’re gonna lose, love. I haven’t forgotten a single fing. I know what you were wearin’. What music were playin’ the minute I saw yehr face. I remember it all. Second best day of me life.”

“Second?”

“First is the day yeh married meh.”

“Okay, yes. I agree with that.”

Alex kissed her cheek, just breathing her in. He hummed a little of the Birthday song and held her tighter. “Can’t believe it’s been seven years.”

“Where did it go?”

“Dunno, but… can’t imagine a minute of it without yeh, Lou.”

//

“Let meh see that…” Alex smiled, lifting his head from where it had been previously resting on Lou’s shoulder as they waited for him to board his flight early the next morning.

They passed the time giggling at the pictures Matt had sent her, and just now, someone had sent her the photo of the two of them from last night outside the restaurant. Lou’s wide whiskey eyes were gazing right into the camera, with the other girl in the photo, but Alex was looking at Lou.

“You have the dreamiest look on your face, Turner!” She exclaimed, her smile so wide as she took a screenshot, saving it for later. They both looked really incredible, and it was technically the only official photo she had from last night. The other pictures they’d taken weren’t for sharing…

“Thas because I’m lookin’ at the dreamiest woman in the world next teh meh…” He rested his head back on her shoulder, sinking back into his chair. “Whaddya call it, Lou? Heart eyes?”

She grinned, turning her head to kiss his forehead right beside the bruise. It was the first thing she did when she saw him yesterday, too. After calling him a fool for rolling around at Lollapalooza and getting the bruise in the first place.

“Yes, baby. Heart eyes.”

“I’ve got ‘em for yeh all the time.”

“Same.” She stroked her finger down his nose, and he bit at her, hearing the announcement that it was finally time to board.

They stood up and stretched before Alex wound his arms around her. “Sorreh I gotta leave yeh on yeh’re actual birfday, babeh. Wish I could stay.”

“It’s okay. I couldn’t have asked for more. Fanks for spoiling me.” She kissed his chin and then his pouty lips. “I packed some new clothes for you. Have fun at Osheaga, tonight.”

“New clothes?”

“New _old_ clothes. Your wardrobe is getting stale, Turner. I’m bored.”

Alex laughed, kissing her again.

“You should play my favorite song for me tonight. Even if I won’t be there to hear it.”

“I’ll try, love. If I make it back for a proper soundcheck.” He rubbed his hands down her back, resisting the urge to squeeze her ass like he always did when he left her.

“Okay…” She mumbled against his chest, getting one last kiss in before he disappeared. “Behave yourself. And come back to me in one piece. With all your hair this time.”

He scoffed, patting her bum as he let go. “I left another lil’ gift for yeh back at ‘ome.”

Lou’s eyes widened. Whenever he ‘left’ her gifts, they were always the sappy, romantic kind. The tears were already welling up. “Oh god…”

“Happy birfday, Louella,” He smiled, kissing his hand and sending it in her direction.

She caught it and pressed it against her cheek like he always did to her, sighing longingly as she watched him hand his ticket to the attendant and glance back at her one last time before heading down the ramp. She saw him rub his hand over his freshly shaved head, and she choked out a little sob. Because she missed him, and his hair already.

//

On their bed back home was a handwritten letter in Alex’s all-caps, chicken scratch; complete with little drawings. She cried the entire length of it, laughing between her tears at his descriptions of his pictures. He was such an adorable fool. And she loved him more than anything.

That night, when she was out to dinner with a few friends to celebrate, she got a text from Katie who was still out on tour with the boys. It took the video a moment to load, and she turned away for a moment, holding it close to her face and pressing play.

The video was a little unsteady, but she could clearly see her husband in a white dress shirt and dark green pants from the side of the stage. The crowd was cheering loudly and he threw his hands up, in typical Turner fashion, “This next song is for me wife! Happy Birfday, Lou! I love yeh, babeh!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! You can also [find me on Tumblr](https://hearteyesturner.tumblr.com/).


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